The places we've been

  • Image of a hand holding a play bill that reads "Hamilton". Behind is the stage.

    The Saturday Tour of the Revolution

    Have you ever started out a day with a loose plan and ended up with something far cooler, far more “thematic” than you ever would have thought? That’s the story of our second day in NYC. It ended up being The Saturday Tour of the Revolution! We started the day at Hamilton’s grave and ended up watching his show on Broadway. Oh and we sort of hit a hidden restaurant right smack in the middle of it all and visited a fake grave. The Morning Stroll at Trinity Church After a quick breakfast at George’s, we made our way over to Trinity Church. Although it is the place the Nick…

  • Screen showing a map of Pennsylvania and New York with the flight path highlighted in blue. In the middle is a circle.

    Our Unexpected Trip to Harrisburg

    When it comes to traveling, the best advice we’ve received is probably to be flexible and expect the unexpected. That certainly came into play on our journey to the NYC Marathon this past weekend. Let us tell you how it all started with our unexpected trip to Harrisburg. A Solid Start We like to fly early to minimize delays. So we were up at 3:30 am and out the door to the airport by 4:15. Even though we were able to pack in carryon bags we checked them. That way we didn’t have to lug them around the airport or worry about fighting for overhead bin space on the plane.…

  • Statue of a horse and a jockey in front of Churchill Downs

    The Very Best of Derby City

    Sometimes the gods just smile on you. That’s how we feel about the opportunities we’ve had this year to visit the biggest, small town in the USA – Louisville. We’ve been there twice so far to help out a friend with pet and house sitting. (You should know, they have THE CUTEST animals – so be sure to check out our Adventures in Pet Sitting post to see their furry faces.) Maybe you’re thinking about heading down to Louisville for the Marathon this November or maybe you’d like to don a fancy hat and watch the races. Whatever the reason, we have some great recommendations for the Very Best of…

  • Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum

    One lonely, boring evening about 20 years ago, I convinced a friend to go on a ghost hunt. I had never done a ghost hunt before, mind you, but I had a solid plan. Step 1: Go somewhere people claim is haunted. Step 2: Look around. On our way back home from William Ganong Cemetery, the most haunted cemetery in Michigan, I got a little lost. I was heading back toward the freeway when I came across a complex of buildings surrounding a tall, brick smoke stack. My Spidey senses made me turn into the driveway for my first Adventure at the Famous Eloise Asylum. The History Below is a…

  • Adventure to the Most Haunted Cemetery in Michigan

    If you’re anything like me, you go on “kicks” from time to time. Maybe it’s making your own pizza dough or teaching yourself to play the piano. In my case, it was collecting and reading every book about haunted places in Michigan. Some of it was “meh”, like ANOTHER story about a haunted lighthouse. Some of it was FRIGHTENING, like account of the little girl who liked to watch television. (Also known as “Ah HELL NAH!” Some little ghost girl in my living room with my family??? We’re moving!!) And some of the stories made we want to go and see for myself. Join me for an adventure to the…

  • The Mystery of The Winchester Mystery House

    Don’t you just LOVE a good mystery? If you’re anything like me, mysteries and unusual things are especially memorable. For instance, when someone says “Hey we’re going to X”, my brain digs up an extremely fringe fact about that place. Key West? Ernest Hemmingway had a house there. Rome? I read about this thing called the Alchemist’s Gate. Prague? I think there is a church made of bones near there. And San Jose? Well, that’s where the Winchester House is. Since it’s purported to be extremely haunted, I naturally remembered it! Doors that don’t open. Stairs that lead to nowhere. Sound fun? Join us as we unpack the mystery of…

  • Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story

    Before we start off, please be sure to check out Part One of the Cascade Express Marathon. You’ll hear how the training went and the obstacles I had to overcome to get to the start line. For those who already in the know, buckle in! All aboard the Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story. The Wee Hours Being up at 2 am for a race that doesn’t start until 8 am is not the ideal start to the day. On the upside, it did give me a few hours to contemplate the task ahead. I spent some time reviewing the last eight weeks of training. It…

  • Cascade Express Marathon Part Two: The Rest of the Story

    Cascade Express Marathon Part One: The Build Up

    Let me start by saying, Covid sucks. I know you already knew that but I especially feel that down deep. In 2021, we got both vaccine shots and a booster. Mask were worn. Distance was kept. We coated ourselves in hand sanitizer and STILL we managed to get sick. Although the illness itself wasn’t that bad for me, I realized something was really wrong as I tried to qualifying for the 2023 Boston Marathon. Let me share what I learned from the build up to the Cascade Express Marathon – Part 1. Running Sucked From January thru May I did nothing but slow miles. None of these runs were easy…

  • Image of a man and woman wearing masks and holding up tickets

    What Life Was Like The First Weekend NYC Reopened

    The spring of 2021, you remember it, don’t you? The weather was warming. The flowers were blooming and we all came out of our lockdown caves, and squinted at the sun. We walked onto shaky ground, hoping upon hope, that maybe life would somehow get back to “normal”. That June, we had a little help rediscovering one of our favorite places on the planet from an unlikely source. This is the story of how Jimmy Fallon helped us experience what life was like the first weekend NYC reopened. The Jimmy Fallon Connection Stephen enters a lottery every year for tickets to Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show. While getting…

  • Have you ever wanted to soak in a vat of beer?

    Let me ask you, have you ever wanted to just soak in a vat of beer? Or how about drink a beer in the same bar Mozart used to frequent? Or here’s a fun one, have you seen Spider-Man: Far From Home? Regardless of your answers, you’re in luck because today we are going to do a little TBT and share with you our amazing 12 hour adventure in Prague! After the Berlin Marathon in 2018, we rented a car drove down toward Munich for Oktoberfest. (Which doesn’t actually mean “Okay to Beer Fest”, in case you were wondering if the Sam Adams ad was correct.) Since we had a…